Posted on 06/08/2008 4:18:25 PM PDT by saganite
We know that fine-tuning engine gear boxes is often a good way to put your auto on a diet. But a Scottish a mechanical tech firm Artemis Intelligent Power claims to have developed a new kind of transmission, capable of doubling fuel economy and reducing CO2 emissions by as much as 30 percent.
The company says that nearly 15 years of scrupulous research have culminated in the High Efficiency Digital Displacement Automotive Transmission (HEDDAT) - a breakthrough hybrid engine modulator said to be more durable, lighter and cheaper than its electric counterparts. According to Cleantech, "the company claims its Digital Displacement technology replaces the port and swash plates in conventional hydraulic machines with computer-controlled high speed solenoid valves."
"We have the advantage on aggressive duty cycles, and that's where the Prius system cannot capture and return the energy at high powers," said Dr. Neil Caldwell, a senior engineer with the company since its inception in 1994. "There's an intrinsic technological advantage when you're driving a vehicle hard. That's where hydraulic hybrids have a huge advantage."
U.K. Energy Saving Trust, the chief underwriter of the project, independently tested Artemis' prototype BMW 530i hydraulic series hybrid with the HEDDAT onboard. The test confirmed the technology's potential, revealing a 30 percent lower CO2 output and superior fuel economy. See the video
Like a hybrid, the point of a better transmission is to keep the engine at an operating point that is far more efficient. So the added performance comes from more than just reduced transmission losses alone.
makes no sense to me either.
Very interesting. I wonder where they fuel up? This will make a good Monday morning research topic. Possible investment opportunity, too.
Thanks for fixing those links.
The way I see it the ultimate powertrain would be a small (preferably 2-cycle) turbo-diesel with this sort of regenerative hydraulic power transmission,, electric power storage (ala Prius and Civic hybrid) with a CVT would be a close second.
But lets get real ... There are 100 million cars or more on our roads ,, we need to drill RIGHT NOW while developing this tech.
It should be noted by all, tho, that the Prius gets some of its efficiency from using a Atkinson Cycle engine rather than a conventional Otto Cycle engine.
But lets get real ... There are 100 million cars or more on our roads ,, we need to drill RIGHT NOW while developing this tech.
You are correct. Even if this technology debuted tomorrow it would take 20 years to transition but the effects would be felt long before that in individuals pocketbooks which would hasten the transition. Except for my ‘66 Mustang. I don’t ever plan on giving that up!
Honda sells a device which allows the owner to refuel at home, by compressing the natural gas from home gas lines. It will compress enough gas for a complete refuel overnight.
if true,
ford wouldn’t be going down the tube.
I think it also has an offset crankshaft. Now, if they would eliminate one cylinder, add a turbocharger, change fuel to diesel, reduce engine RPMs by half...they’d really be doing something.
Agree. But it would likely run smack into the CARB standards and jihad against diesels in Californiastan.
There’s a dozen or more really efficient, small diesels in cars now that get 40+ MPG on the highway that we could be using — but are not, thanks to the environmentalist mindset in California against diesels.
That would be Phill.
Unfortunately, they aren't available everywhere: "Phill is currently available for purchase in the US in select parts of California, Arizona, Colorado, Illiniois, Indiana, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Utah, Washington, and Wisconsin."
A friend of mine checked into it in California, and the local dealership would sell your a Phill and a Honda GX together as a package, and finance them.
It takes about 4 hours to compress and fill the tank with enough CNG for a 50 mile trip. The cost depends on how much you pay for natural gas, but I believe that generally, the cost is about $1.50 per equivalent of a gallon of gasoline.
Ahh, but us diesel affictionados have an angle to coerce them...bio-diesel.
40+MPG??
Oh no! You are behind the times mister. Check out Volkswagen’s bluemotion line of vehicles.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BlueMotion
And then there is the new special edition of the VW lupo 3cylinder turbo diesel...called the Lupo 3L.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volkswagen_Lupo
I’ll not spoil the suspense so I’ll let you find the MPG figure for it.
Here’s a related article about a motorcycle built with the lupo engine...
http://thekneeslider.com/archives/2005/02/25/thunder-star-1200-diesel-by-star-twin/
Here’s an animation of something really really interesting:
http://www.jjsdesign.net/jj2s/video/jj2s05.avi
http://users.breathe.com/prhooper/opads.htm
http://www.jjsdesign.net/jj2s/patent.html
The second two aren’t animations, just some sketches. But seeing how you’re interested in engine technology, I threw them in for your viewing pleasure.
This one is in polish, but you can still fumble around the site and look at the pics.
http://www.jjsdesign.net/
I’ll talk to you but first I require funds to show you’re sincere and to help transfer funds from my father’s bank whose location must remain secret.
Thanks for the information.
Thanks for the info!
Well, if they actually have such a truck in the offing, according to the blogs it’s supposed to debut this August. A truck that isn’t even on the market yet can have zero bearing on Ford’s fate. If it does actually debut in August I think you’ll see Ford’s future brighten overnight. By the way, the greenies hate this prospect. It really pisses them off that big vehicles might actually continue to be built even if they are much greener.
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